Discovering your teen has been viewing pornography

Every parent at some point is going to discover their child has been watching pornography on the computer. And it's not just the boys anymore. The girls are now into it. One startling statistic is 30% of adult pornography addicts are female. We didn't even think that was possible before. So pornography you need to view as a parent as you would alcohol or opiates, any addictive substance. Teen brains get exposed to the stuff a lot, it tends to wire in an addiction, which means they have to go to greater and greater depths of pornography to get the same payoff. Before I left on this trip, I had a 19-year old boy in my office who has a relationship with a girl he loves. He cannot make love to her. Because every time he starts down that path, weird pornographic pictures pop into his head (I'll spare you the details.) and he cannot function sexually with someone he truly cares about. So we now understand that teen brains cannot handle those heavy doses of pornography because it weaves in these threads of very bizarre stuff with sexual urge which then plays out when they're in a real relationship with somebody they care about. So educate your child. Go online. There's a book called Pornified you may want to pick up. Ask your kid to read about the reality of pornography for the participants in the film. But more importantly, the impact on his and her own brain. View it like cigarettes. You can't let them do this extensively.

Michael J. Bradley, EdD

Psychologist, Author & Speaker

Michael J. Bradley, EdD, award-winning author, has counseled adolescents and their parents for over 30 years and currently has a private practice in suburban Philadelphia. As a recognized specialist in adolescent behavior and parenting, Dr. Bradley is in demand as a speaker and facilitator for mental health professionals, educators, and parenting groups. He has appeared on over 400 radio and television shows, including CNN, The Today Show and Good Morning, America, and has been interviewed by numerous magazines and newspapers such as USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Parents Magazine. His website forum is a great source of advice and encouragement to parents.

Every parent at some point is going to discover their child has been watching pornography on the computer. And it's not just the boys anymore. The girls are now into it. One startling statistic is 30% of adult pornography addicts are female. We didn't even think that was possible before. So pornography you need to view as a parent as you would alcohol or opiates, any addictive substance. Teen brains get exposed to the stuff a lot, it tends to wire in an addiction, which means they have to go to greater and greater depths of pornography to get the same payoff. Before I left on this trip, I had a 19-year old boy in my office who has a relationship with a girl he loves. He cannot make love to her. Because every time he starts down that path, weird pornographic pictures pop into his head (I'll spare you the details.) and he cannot function sexually with someone he truly cares about. So we now understand that teen brains cannot handle those heavy doses of pornography because it weaves in these threads of very bizarre stuff with sexual urge which then plays out when they're in a real relationship with somebody they care about. So educate your child. Go online. There's a book called Pornified you may want to pick up. Ask your kid to read about the reality of pornography for the participants in the film. But more importantly, the impact on his and her own brain. View it like cigarettes. You can't let them do this extensively.